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Called 3
10:59:55 PM Josie: When we left Rycroft he was being tugged up the stairs at Rose's house. The second floor is much more Roselike, decorated mainly in black and white with a few touches of color here and there, all symmetrical, all fairly stark and very, very neat. Ry knows that she's actually not a clean-freak, but now she has a servant to clean and everything is spotless. 11:00:50 PM Josie: After, shall we say, a pleasant interlude, Rose has to go back to work and more or less politely kicks him out, although she does kiss him goodbye and tell him she'll text. Also that he shouldn't call without texting to ask first or she'll think it's an emergency, and then she'd be so pissed off it would *become* an emergency. 11:01:23 PM Rycroft: Rycroft is okay with these groundrules. She is an important person! 11:01:48 PM Josie: She is. She's also somewhat old-fashioned, and Rye may well suspect the truth: 11:02:06 PM Josie: Texting reminds her of sending notes and letters, whereas being called reminds her of whistling for a damned dog. 11:03:04 PM Josie: Before he leaves, she also tells him to look after Lizard. And then tells him to find her a more suitable name again. 11:04:39 PM Rycroft: Rycroft will not promise anything. He'll do what he can, though. 11:05:40 PM Josie: Indeed. Does he return to the apartment or to work? 11:08:14 PM Rycroft: He heads back to his apartment. 11:09:48 PM Josie: The girls are still there. This time Lizard is drawing on another wall; it happens to be a living room wall. Tess, meanwhile, is knitting. It looks like a mitten. 11:10:41 PM | Edited 11:14:39 PM Rycroft: ... please don't draw in the living room walls. 11:11:31 PM Josie: Tess: Oh, shoot, that was my fault, I told her she could. 11:11:57 PM Josie: Lizard: ... well, it *is* only in pencil, at least. I'm sorry. 11:14:15 PM Josie: Tess: If it won't come off, I'll paint over it. No big deal, right? 11:15:18 PM Rycroft: Rycroft shakes his head. "Nope, not at all. What are you drawing?" 11:15:20 PM Josie: Liz shakes her head, grabs an eraser and starts erasing the pencil-marks. 11:16:52 PM Josie: Lizard: The city skyline at night. 11:17:08 PM Josie: Lizard: ... I'm sorry. 11:18:21 PM Rycroft: Rycroft looks at it. "Don't worry about it. It's very good." 11:19:00 PM Josie: It looks accurate, at least. It's hard to tell if it's good at this point. Lizard stops erasing. 11:19:05 PM Josie: Liz: ... are you sure? 11:20:03 PM Josie: Tess: She used up the wall in the bedroom already. 11:21:37 PM Rycroft: Yeah, what the hell. 11:22:12 PM Josie: ((wrong room?)) 11:23:00 PM Rycroft: ((No, he was responding to Liz. "are you sure?")) 11:23:09 PM Josie: ((Gotcha!)) 11:23:16 PM Josie: Liz beams. "Thank you!" 11:23:22 PM Josie: Tess: You should check out the bedroom. 11:23:34 PM Rycroft: Sure, show me. 11:24:45 PM Josie: Tess: Sure. 11:26:33 PM Josie: She stands up, sets her knitting down and heads into the bedroom with Ry! 11:27:50 PM Rycroft: Rycroft looks in there! 11:28:11 PM Josie: Tess makes a vaguely Vanna White-like gesture at the wall Lizard's painted. 11:29:54 PM Josie: It's the oceanscape she was drawing earlier, but she's painted it all in--a seascape in blues and whites, styled after the Japanese Edo period, but of a western-style ship in full sail, waves crashing around it and clouds swirling overhead. 11:30:50 PM Josie: Tess: ... don't look at it too long, you'll get seasick. It looks pretty good to me, though--what do you think? 11:32:01 PM Rycroft: Very good. 11:32:01 PM Rycroft: Rycroft focuses in on the ship! 11:34:05 PM Josie: She's managed to combine simplicity with complexity, suggesting the lines, rigging and sails, and even the sailors, with just a few brushstrokes each in almost an impressionistic way. 11:35:01 PM Rycroft: I suppose you don't attract the attention of a rat Toreador like her sire without having talent. 11:35:44 PM Josie: Tess: Yeah. I gather she's more used to spraypaint than brushes--she ended up using her fingers for some of the clouds. 11:36:18 PM Rycroft: I'm not ready for indoor spraypaint. The smell is awful. 11:36:41 PM Josie: Tess: Yeah. If you wanna give her oils you're gonna need a vent to the outside world anyway, though. 11:38:08 PM Josie: Tess: Bob Ross style stuff. The paint's thicker and it stays wet longer, gives you access to different techniques. 11:38:23 PM Josie: Tess: ... I *like* art, I'm just not *good* at it. 11:39:40 PM Rycroft: Yeah, I know. I didn't get her oils. Just acrylics and waterpaints. 11:40:31 PM Josie: Tess: You totally should. ... once you get a vent set up. I mean, it won't kill her, obviously, but. 11:41:22 PM Josie: Tess: What'd Gray have to say? 11:43:53 PM Rycroft: It was a date. 11:44:24 PM Josie: Tess: Ahh! I see. 11:45:07 PM Josie: Tess: ... she seemed nervous after you left, so I suggested she paint. 11:45:21 PM Josie: Tess: It seems to make her feel better. I don't know. 11:48:20 PM | Edited 11:50:35 PM Rycroft: Well, she's an artist. Isn't that what artists do? 11:50:09 PM Josie: Tess: I don't know, I've never had the temperament. I only learned because that's what women did back then. Well, rich women. 11:50:29 PM Rycroft: Were you rich? 11:51:12 PM Josie: Tess: Kinda. My family was. So I had tutors and I learned all *kinds* of useful things. Like *embroidery.* 11:58:31 PM Rycroft: What, are you saying your embroidery has not saved your life countless times? 11:58:46 PM Josie: Tess: Pfft. It has not. And I wasn't good at that either. 11:59:33 PM Rycroft: Rycroft heads back out into the living room. 11:59:56 PM Josie: She follows him out. 12:01:06 AM Josie: Lizard is still drawing in details on the wall. "... I can match the lighting to the room." 12:01:47 AM Rycroft: Good. I suppose that wall is a little blank. 12:02:59 AM Josie: Liz: I'll start using notebooks after this. Unless you tell me. 12:03:52 AM Josie: How does Rycroft manage his office? Normally this would be business hours for him; does he publicize his cellphone number and hours, or leave a note on the door or have a secretary? 12:05:08 AM Rycroft: Hmm. Maybe a secretary! Or just a second work line. 12:05:41 AM Josie: Which one? 12:06:53 AM Rycroft: ((What do you think?)) 12:07:03 AM Josie: ((Second one.)) 12:08:38 AM Josie: His cellphone rings! 12:09:03 AM Rycroft: ((Okay! Yeah, second cell line makes sense. He might not even have an office.)) 12:09:18 AM Rycroft: He picks it up. "Rycroft Winslow here." 12:09:47 AM Josie: A male voice says: "... Mr. Winslow? I was... I was told you could help me with something." 12:11:09 AM Rycroft: That's what I do, sir. Are you comfortable speaking over the phone, or would you like to meet somewhere? 12:15:28 AM Josie: Man: ... I'd rather meet, I guess. 12:16:25 AM Rycroft: Rycroft gives the address for an all-night diner a few blocks away. "I'll be there in about twenty minutes." 12:20:19 AM Josie: Man: Come *alone.* 12:20:38 AM Josie: Click. 12:20:53 AM Rycroft: Rycroft bristles a bit. "Why." 12:21:04 AM Josie: Too late, he's hung up! 12:21:46 AM Rycroft: Rycroft sighs. "Well, I have to go see a potential client." 12:22:09 AM Josie: Tess: I'll hold the fort. 12:22:22 AM Josie: Lizard: ... is something wrong? 12:23:04 AM Rycroft: He told me to 'come *alone*' and hung up very dramatically. I'm tempted to leave him hanging. Manners, people. 12:25:11 AM Josie: Tess: ... he might's'well have said "This is a trap." Are you sure you're going to go? 12:27:48 AM Rycroft: Yep. If it's a trap, it's a terrible one. And if it's a real potential client, I'd hate to get a low score on Yelp. 12:29:06 AM Josie: Tess: Ha. ... well, good luck. 12:29:14 AM Josie: Tess: Be careful. 12:30:34 AM Josie: Lizard: ... but if it's not safe you shouldn't go. 12:31:06 AM Rycroft: Rycroft nods. "I'll be fine. I'm going to scope the place out first. I'm pretty good at sniffing out traps." 12:31:16 AM Rycroft: Rycroft heads to the balcony. 12:32:16 AM Josie: It's a nice night, very clear and a little chilly. 12:32:28 AM Josie: Lizard: ... but... 12:32:35 AM Josie: He can hear Tess reassuring Lizard. 12:33:33 AM Rycroft: Rycroft smiles. "I'll be fine. If there'a a problem, though, I'm gonna text you, Tess, and you better come and rescue me." 12:34:05 AM Josie: Tess: Heroically. 12:34:13 AM Josie: Tess: I'll use a curtain for a cape. 12:34:24 AM Rycroft: Good. 12:34:26 AM Josie: Lizard smiles, grudgingly. "... just be careful, okay?" 12:34:37 AM Rycroft: I will. Here, watch this, it's pretty neat. 12:34:43 AM Rycroft: Rycroft turns into a falcon! 12:35:00 AM Josie: Lizard yelps. 12:35:25 AM | Edited 12:35:33 AM Josie: Lizard: ... Oh my gosh, that's way better than a bat! 12:36:32 AM Rycroft: Rycroft caws, and then flies to the diner, landing in an alleyway out of view and turning back into his regular shape if it's empty. 12:38:32 AM Josie: It's pretty quiet in the diner--just a couple of kids and one very nervous-looking guy in a trenchcoat. He's balding, with furry eyebrows; he does have some muscles, though. 12:40:06 AM Rycroft: Rycroft looks around the area. 12:40:34 AM Josie: It looks like he's alone! 12:40:43 AM Josie: No suspicious shadows this time, either. 12:42:32 AM | Edited 12:43:13 AM Rycroft: Rycroft goes over to his table. "I'm Rycroft Winslow. I believe you called me earlier." 12:43:09 AM Josie: ((Wrong last name!)) 12:43:18 AM Rycroft: ((Yep.)) 12:43:27 AM Josie: He jumps about a foot. 12:43:59 AM Josie: Man: Oh! Oh. Yes, my... my sister-in-law said you might be able to help. It's just... I don't know what else to do. 12:44:37 AM Rycroft: Rycroft sits down. "All right. What's the situation?" 12:45:13 AM Josie: Man: You, you have to understand this can't be official. 12:45:22 AM Josie: He stirs his coffee, clearly nervous. 12:45:38 AM Josie: Man: I could lose my job. 12:46:23 AM Rycroft: Rycroft orders a coffee. 12:47:16 AM Rycroft: I'm privately employed. That's pretty far from 'official'. 12:47:17 AM Josie: The waiter is a bored college student; he takes the order and deposits the coffee a few minutes later. 12:47:59 AM Josie: Man: ... well, I'm a park ranger. If anybody found out about this they'll think I'm crazy! 12:48:38 AM Rycroft: All right? 12:48:57 AM Josie: Man: Well... it all started about two weeks ago. 12:49:54 AM Josie: Man: I found a deer carcass that... well, it looked like a mountain lion had gotten to it, or maybe a bear. Maybe a bear, but there wasn't any bear scat, and there weren't any tracks of either kind. 12:51:30 AM Josie: Man: Well that's not *so* unusual, but then there was another one a couple of days later, and this time... there were *bites* on it. Now I know bites, I was gonna be a dentist til my second year of school. It was human teeth on that thing, I'll lay my whole retirement fund on it! 12:53:31 AM Josie: Man: And then there was another one and another! There's somebody in my park killing and eating *raw deer*! Or so I thought. Then on the last one, that was today, I found *this.* 12:53:56 AM Josie: He digs into his pocket, pulls out a little paper bag and hands it to Rycroft. 12:54:14 AM Rycroft: Rycroft looks at him, then opens the bag. 12:55:11 AM Josie: Inside is... another bag! 12:55:21 AM Josie: This one's a plastic sandwich bag, sealed shut. 12:55:30 AM Josie: It's got what looks like a little piece of fur inside. 12:55:33 AM Josie: Blue fur. 12:56:35 AM Rycroft: Rycroft looks at it. "So why can't this be 'official'?" 12:59:52 AM Josie: Man: Touch it. Through the bag. 1:00:06 AM Rycroft: Rycroft does. 1:01:21 AM Josie: The fur ripples through the bag and turns flesh-colored. 1:01:32 AM Josie: Man: Because *everyone will think we're nuts.* 1:02:47 AM Rycroft: ... well. This is interesting... but I'm a private detective. I'm not a... biologist. 1:03:15 AM Josie: Man: But... but you have to help! My sister-in-law said you knew everything about this ... weird stuff. 1:03:40 AM Josie: Man: Ann Murrow-Hall, do you remember her? She said you helped with a ghost or something in her house! 1:03:55 AM Josie: It was actually a poltergeist being caused by her teenaged daughter, as Ry recalls. 1:05:05 AM Rycroft: ... what's your interest in this, anyway? 1:05:24 AM Josie: Man: Something's killing deer in my park with human teeth and a blue... furry... *thing*! 1:05:32 AM Josie: Man: Children go to that park! 1:05:39 AM Josie: Man: What if it eats a kid next? 1:06:10 AM Rycroft: Okay. What park is this? 1:06:58 AM Josie: Man: Battle Creek Park. It's small, but we've got a nice little campground--it's usually full--and it's not that far out of the city. 1:09:10 AM Rycroft: All right. I'll look into it. I'll need a phone number to contact you. 1:09:42 AM Josie: He nods, and gives Rye his phone number. "... it only happens at night. Please. We've got a whole group of Cub Scouts coming tomorrow." 1:11:18 AM Rycroft: ... and you haven't closed it? Called animal control, shut down the park since something's killing the deer? Even if you just told 'em it's a mountain lion. 1:11:49 AM Josie: Man: Mountain lions don't attack people. 1:12:03 AM Josie: Man: They're shy. Don't you know anything? Even a bear won't do that, unless you go after her cubs. 1:12:20 AM Rycroft: People haven't been attacked. Just deer. 1:12:33 AM Josie: Man: And we don't know *what's* doing it! 1:12:45 AM Josie: Man: There's a huge difference between somethin' wild you know and somethin' wild you *don't.* 1:12:53 AM Josie: Man: You remember that Aussie guy, Steve Irwin? 1:13:00 AM Rycroft: ... I guess I"m not sure what you expect me to do about it. Go into the park with a gun and kill things? 1:13:04 AM Josie: Man: He died because he was playing with animals he *wasn't* an expert on. 1:13:56 AM Josie: Man: No! Don't *kill* it. ... if it's a person, maybe, but this blue thing... if you catch it, and it's nothing new, fine, or if it's new, we can study it, find out what it is. Maybe it's a new species! Right there in the park. 1:17:17 AM Rycroft: So you want me to go and hunt down a creature I'm not an expert in. 1:17:23 AM Rycroft: Is what your'e saying. 1:17:57 AM Josie: Man: ... please! I don't know who else to ask! They'll think I'm *nuts*! 1:18:25 AM Josie: Man: Annie said you *helped* people. 1:18:33 AM Josie: Man: People with... with weird problems! 1:20:38 AM Rycroft: Rycroft rubs his eyes. 1:22:04 AM Josie: Man: Please! If you can just... just go up there and check. Maybe it goes back to its kills, I don't know. 1:22:32 AM Josie: Man: I've never seen a ... a furry blue thing with human teeth. .... mostly human... 1:22:50 AM Rycroft: Fine. All right. I'll go check it out. We'll negotiate a price later. 1:23:33 AM Josie: He gulps, looking worried. "... might have to have a payment plan, but I'll pay it. Somehow." 1:23:50 AM Josie: Man: Thank you. Thank you so much. 1:24:52 AM Rycroft: I'm not making any promises. This is *so* far out of my area of expertise. I'm a private investigator. I do research, I interview people. I *don't* track a deer-slaying monster in the woods. 1:26:00 AM Josie: Man: ... I just know you helped my brother and his wife, that's all. 1:26:15 AM Josie: Man: ... and I know I got twelve third-graders coming tomorrow. 1:27:05 AM Rycroft: I'll do what I can. Cub scouts, you said? 1:28:22 AM Josie: He nods. "Tomorrow. *Tomorrow!* If I'd found the weird fur earlier I'd've come sooner but... I should... I should tell you they're not exactly human teeth." 1:29:08 AM Josie: Man: It's like... human teeth with these big... *fangs* attached. I went back to my dad's old textbook and they don't look right for *anything.* Not monkeys, not even the Neanderthals or something like that. 1:30:57 AM Rycroft: Right. 1:31:49 AM Josie: Man: Just... thank you so much for doing this tonight. 1:32:38 AM Rycroft: I can't promise anything. You really need to figure out a way to get the park emptied out. 1:33:11 AM Josie: Man: ... I'll come up with something. I'll come up with something just in case. There's gotta be some kind of... emergency plan or something. Do you want me to drive you up there? 1:34:00 AM Rycroft: No, I'll head out on my own. 1:35:45 AM Josie: Man: ... right. Right. I'll go look at our emergency plans, maybe there's something in there I can use to do an evac tomorrow. If you can't find whatever it is. Oh, the last dead deer is in a meadow about halfway up the Arrow Trail. There's trailmarkers and everything, when you see the big split boulder look to your right and it's on the other side of that meadow on the treeline. 1:35:57 AM Josie: Man: ... be careful. Damn thing nearly tore the deer in half. 1:36:19 AM Rycroft: Right. I'll be in touch, Mr.... 1:37:29 AM Josie: Man: Gonzalez. Tom Gonzalez. 1:37:47 AM Josie: Tom: Kids just call me Ranger Tom. ... just be careful out there. 1:38:07 AM Josie: He takes a map out of his pocket and hands it to Rycroft, then hustles out, still looking worried. 1:39:36 AM Rycroft: He nods, and takes it, then calls Tess up. 1:40:51 AM Josie: Tess: Hey Rye. Everything going okay? 1:41:41 AM Rycroft: I'm going up to Battle Creek Park. 1:42:27 AM Josie: Tess: With Gray? 1:43:42 AM Rycroft: No. To investigate some deer mutiliations. 1:45:32 AM Josie: Tess: ... deer mutilations? Wow, the glamorous world of detectiving leaves a lot to be desired. 1:46:29 AM Rycroft: This is most likely something supernatural. There's a bit of fur that changes color and the freaked out park ranger describes human-like teeth on the carcasses. 1:47:36 AM Josie: Tess: ... think it's another Gangrel? Werewolves don't have colorchanging fur, do they? 1:48:25 AM Rycroft: Not that I know of. I'm going to go check it out. But it sounds like the deer were eaten, not just drained. 1:49:52 AM Josie: Tess: ... bizarre. You still got the gun I gave you, right? 1:51:36 AM Rycroft: Yeah. So I'm gonna go up there and check it out. Can you do me a favor? 1:52:30 AM Josie: Tess: Does it involve stripping or naked car washes? 1:53:10 AM Rycroft: Not at present. 1:53:21 AM Josie: Tess: Good, it's kinda cold out tonight. What do you need? 1:53:42 AM Josie: You can hear her smile. 1:55:33 AM Rycroft: If there's something supernatural up there killing deer, it would be good if this cub scout troop this park ranger was telling me about *didn't* decided to stay in the park while it's about, don't you agree? 1:55:56 AM Josie: Tess: I'd say so, yeah. 1:55:56 AM Rycroft: I guess he's got a bunch of third graders coming in tomorrow. 1:56:28 AM Josie: Tess: As what, appetizers? 1:56:52 AM Rycroft: He was pretty worried about it. I'm going up to the park, think there's a way you can get said cub scouts to change their destination to a different park? 1:58:36 AM Josie: Tess: In the middle of the night? Probably not. In the morning? Gray's people will be able to pull it off, they can probably shut the park down for budgetary reasons or something. If we have to. 2:00:57 AM Rycroft: All right. Well, I'm going to check it out. 2:01:09 AM Rycroft: WE'll see what I can turn up and take it from there. 2:01:20 AM Josie: Tess: Okay. Be careful out there, I'm not up for single parenthood. 2:01:52 AM Rycroft: Right. 2:01:52 AM Rycroft: Rycroft finds a quiet place and birds out. 2:03:21 AM Josie: He's a bird! It's a good night for flying! 2:05:14 AM Rycroft: He goes to the park! 2:07:46 AM Josie: He catches a couple of thermals on the way, which allow him to fly much further without getting tired. Very nice! 2:08:02 AM Rycroft: Rycroft whooshes. 2:08:16 AM Josie: When he arrives at the park, does he try to fly to the meadow or turn into a bean first? 2:10:12 AM Rycroft: He does a flyover or two first. 2:10:29 AM Rycroft: ((Did we decide if he had animalism or not?)) 2:11:18 AM Josie: ((He does!)) 2:11:35 AM Josie: ((I don't know how much or what he can do with it though.)) 2:12:18 AM Rycroft: ((I don't think he's very advanced in it. But the first level of it does allow for critter communication.)) 2:12:28 AM Josie: He doesn't see anything unusual in the meadow from that far up. A dead deer, certainly, and some mice, which his temporarily-birdlike-brain tells him look deliiiicious. 2:13:15 AM Josie: The grass is pretty tall, though, and the trees start not far from the dead deer. 2:13:33 AM Josie: Tough to see in there. 2:15:31 AM Rycroft: Rycroft lands, and humies out. 2:16:31 AM Josie: The grass in the field comes up to his waist, but there's a path through it--probably a deer path, judging by the tracks. 2:17:06 AM Josie: It *is* chilly, and a little uncomfortable, given that he's not really dressed for hiking. 2:17:26 AM Josie: The bright side is, any ticks will leave his body very disappointed and hungry. 2:18:30 AM Josie: It's pretty quiet, but he can hear crickets chirping, frogs ribbiting a little ways away, nearer the swampy pond, and wind blowing through the branches of the trees. 2:18:44 AM Josie: It's beautiful; this far away from the city you can see all the stars in the sky. 2:19:21 AM Rycroft: Rycroft looks around, moving from where the deer carcass is toward the trees. 2:20:53 AM Josie: It's very dark there, but thanks to Ry's supernatural powers, he can still see a bit. 2:21:17 AM Josie: And he can hear when the frogs and crickets suddenly go quiet, leaving only the sound of the wind in the branches. 2:21:22 AM Rycroft: ((Yeah, I think the first level of Protean is pretty much night vision.)) 2:21:50 AM Rycroft: Rycroft looks around, looking for auras! 2:22:09 AM Josie: How do the auras usually manifest? 2:24:10 AM Rycroft: ((The auras show emotional state and supernatural nature. But I dno't think it works unless he can actually see the person. It doesn't work like x-ray vision, I don't think. The first level of Protean gives him night vision, but it makes his eyes glow red.)) 2:26:22 AM Josie: His eyes glow faintly in the darkness, and something moves in a tree a little way further into the woods. 2:32:09 AM Rycroft: Rycroft heads that way. 2:32:35 AM Josie: He spies a shimmer of aura, but then it ducks behind the tree so he can't quite tell what it was. 2:33:24 AM Rycroft: Rycroft calls out. "Hello?" 2:33:24 AM Josie: There's no path here, but now that you're in the woods there's no three-foot grass to deal with, just uneven ground, tree branches and shrubbery--it's slower going but it's a little easier to see, too. 2:33:39 AM Josie: Nothing moves; it's quiet. 2:34:29 AM Rycroft: Rycroft continues to move in that direction. 2:35:27 AM Josie: He gets close enough to see the aura again; the thing is perched up in the trees, but as he takes another step nearer it leaps -- impossibly far -- to another tree branch, and he loses sight of it again. 2:36:02 AM Rycroft: Rycroft heads in that direction! 2:37:12 AM Josie: He hears it growling as he steps nearer, this time. 2:37:48 AM Rycroft: Hello? 2:38:07 AM Josie: The growl gets louder! 2:38:55 AM Rycroft: Rycroft moves closer. 2:41:15 AM Josie: Finally he gets a better eye on the thing--it's somewhere between the size of a human and a full-grown bear, and it's coiled up on one of the heaviest branches of an oak, supernatural aura shimmering. 2:41:38 AM Josie: The growl turns into a snarl and it pounces at him. 2:41:41 AM Rycroft: ... come down from there. 2:42:12 AM Josie: He does have enough time to react--dodging, hitting, or even grabbing the gun and shooting it. 2:43:46 AM Rycroft: He dodges first! He wants to get a good look at it. 2:44:23 AM Josie: He's *much* faster than the creature accounted for, and it whiffs past him, tearing at the ground with some seriously brutal-looking claws. 2:44:37 AM Josie: He *does* get a look at it, for the first time, though it is still dark in here. 2:45:44 AM Josie: Since the pounce it's been on all fours, but its back legs seem longer than the front ones, almost like an ape, but the head shape isn't right for an ape or a humanoid of any kind--it seems to have a mane, and a muzzle more like a wolf's. 2:46:18 AM Josie: Its tail is long and bushy, and it seems to have shaggy fur all over its body. 2:46:58 AM Josie: Its aura isn't like anything Ry's seen before--whatever it is, it's *rare.* 2:47:36 AM Josie: The creature snarls and whips around, growling at Ry and getting ready to pounce again, tail lashing. 2:48:30 AM Rycroft: Rycroft turns his hands into claws! 2:49:37 AM Josie: It snarls again. This time it sounds a little like words, but nothing quite identifiable. 2:50:18 AM Rycroft: Do you understand me? 2:51:08 AM Josie: It says something! It sounds like "What the hell, man?" 2:51:55 AM Rycroft: Who are you? 2:52:40 AM Josie: It snarls and pounces at him again! 2:54:52 AM Rycroft: Rycroft dodges! 2:57:02 AM Rycroft: Rycroft tries to dodge, anyway. 2:57:03 AM Josie: This time it juuuuuust catches his arm. But there's no clawing, just a bat, like an angry kitten. 2:57:24 AM Rycroft: Rycroft looks at it. "Who are you?" 2:59:27 AM Josie: Monster: Go 'way! 3:01:21 AM Josie: It coils up again, ready to pounce once more! 3:01:59 AM Rycroft: I tried to be polite about this! 3:02:05 AM Rycroft: Rycroft tries to make eye contact! 3:05:32 AM Josie: It pounces at him! 3:06:39 AM Rycroft: Rycroft tries to hypnostare the beastie. "Sit down!" 3:07:56 AM Josie: It halts, mid-pounce, although it doesn't sit, either. There's a clear growl of "FUCK OFF!" 3:08:54 AM Rycroft: No. Tell me who you are. 3:09:50 AM Josie: "I live here! Who the fuck are you?!" 3:10:46 AM Rycroft: You the one who's been killing the deer? 3:11:37 AM Josie: "That'sh what deer are FOR." 3:12:32 AM Rycroft: How long have you lived here? 3:13:56 AM Josie: "Shinsh... shinsh... fucking SHIT, I can't fucking *conversh* like thish!" 3:16:08 AM Rycroft: I'm not leaving. Can you change your shape? 3:16:41 AM Josie: "Fucking... fine. Ash-hole." 3:18:06 AM Josie: The creature hunches over; there's a lot more growling, some of which is very pained-sounding, as its flesh contracts into something else... it turns into a smallish, much more humanoid-looking woman, and falls onto its knees, panting. 3:21:42 AM Rycroft: Who are you? 3:22:07 AM Josie: "Oh, like I'm going to tell you that! How the fuck doesh a human get in here, anyway?" 3:22:16 AM Josie: It still has a lisp. 3:22:32 AM Josie: And it has horns--big ones, that curl back from its face, and it still has a great big bush tail and a mane. 3:23:17 AM Rycroft: It's a *park*. There's humans humans all over the place. There's people camping not far from here. 3:24:28 AM Josie: "Greeeeat. Not only ish it a human, but it'sh a batshite crazhy one, too." 3:25:13 AM Rycroft: Okay, tell me. Where do you think we are? 3:26:30 AM Josie: "The Shunlessh Islesh, little human. ... why do your eyes glow, anyway? And you shmell weird." 3:27:16 AM Josie: She wanders up to him and sniffs at him, curiously. 3:27:30 AM Rycroft: Sunless Ises? You're in New York. 3:27:36 AM Rycroft: ((What is she wearing?)) 3:28:27 AM Josie: A light covering of fur, as far as you can tell! AKA, nothing. The fur has light spots in it, though, giving her sort of a weird stripey look. 3:28:53 AM Josie: "... what'sh a New York? Where'sh the old one?" 3:29:13 AM Rycroft: What year is it? 3:30:55 AM Josie: "Two-hundred-twelfth year in the reign of the Third Duke of the Cracking Vine." 3:31:17 AM Josie: She sniffs. 3:31:24 AM Josie: "Bashtard owes me a harp." 3:31:35 AM Rycroft: .... crap, you're Fae, aren't you. 3:32:23 AM Josie: "*Now* you get it." 3:33:14 AM Rycroft: I'm not human. I'm a vampire. And you're in New York. 3:34:14 AM Josie: "... vampire? What'sh a vampire? ... wait, I'm on the *human* plane??" 3:34:51 AM Rycroft: Yes, apparently. I'm a vampire. Blood sucker. Kindred. Undead. 3:35:48 AM Josie: She sniffs at him again. 3:36:32 AM Josie: "Whatever. You shmell good. ... you gotta help me get back home." 3:36:48 AM Rycroft: I have no idea how to do that. 3:37:58 AM Josie: "Oh yeah? I can shmell magic on you. ... Lishen, maybe we could make a deal." 3:38:24 AM Rycroft: A deal with a fae? There are boatloads of stories about those and how well they work out. 3:38:40 AM Josie: She grins. Holy shit *teeth.* 3:39:38 AM Josie: "Wow, you're a shmart one. Yeah, you got a point there. But you don't want me here and I don't wanna *be* here, right?" 3:40:26 AM Rycroft: It would probably be better for everyone if you weren't here, yes. 3:41:30 AM Josie: "Well, then." 3:42:09 AM Rycroft: But as I said, I have no idea how to get you back where you came from. 3:43:19 AM Josie: "... well, you know other people with magic?" 3:43:51 AM Rycroft: Rycroft thinks. ((Do I know any magicians or Tremere -- that's the Vampire clan that has Blood Magic.)) 3:44:19 AM Josie: You know some of both! 3:45:28 AM Rycroft: Maybe. 3:47:28 AM Josie: "Then I won't deal with you. I'll deal with them. Deal?" 3:48:58 AM Josie: She grins with needle-teeth. 3:52:20 AM Rycroft: You have to stop killing deer. You're drawing attention to yourself. If you can keep to yourself and stop terrifying the locals, I'll send someone with more magical knowledge than I your way. 3:53:42 AM Josie: "... let me go with you, pleashe? I promishe I won't make much trouble." 3:55:53 AM Rycroft: Can you make yourself more human? 3:59:12 AM Josie: "Ishn't thish closhe enough?" 3:59:17 AM Rycroft: No. 3:59:45 AM Josie: She sighs. 3:59:57 AM Josie: "Fine. Give me your hand." 4:01:22 AM Rycroft: He holds his hand out. 4:01:32 AM Josie: "... it's shtill attached." 4:03:08 AM Rycroft: I can't detach my hand. 4:03:18 AM Josie: "Teashing." 4:03:41 AM Rycroft: Hilarious. 4:04:51 AM Josie: She takes his hand, a little bit gingerly, and then bends over double again, growling. Transforming is obviously painful for her, but the fur goes away and pretty soon Rycroft is standing next to a naked, panting girl with dark skin and very, very long hair. The hair is blue. 4:06:20 AM Rycroft: Rycroft takes off his coat and hands it to her. 4:07:39 AM Josie: She sniffs at it curiously. 4:07:56 AM Rycroft: You're naked, and that will draw a bit too much attention. 4:08:43 AM Josie: "You ssmell good. ... shit, my teeth! What happened to my teeth?!" 4:09:36 AM Rycroft: Apparently you changed them. 4:10:07 AM Josie: "How do you *hunt*?" 4:10:57 AM Rycroft: Most humans don't. I'm a vampire, so I can grow fangs, but I only drink blood, so... 4:14:20 AM Rycroft: And most humans are omnivorous. 4:14:59 AM Josie: "... you still smell good, though..." 4:15:04 AM Josie: She sniffs at him again. 4:16:28 AM Rycroft: Well, I'm technically dead. 4:17:47 AM Josie: "Oh, no wonder." 4:17:56 AM Josie: "That explains a lot." 4:18:56 AM Rycroft: Like what? 4:19:37 AM Josie: "You ssmell like you'd be good to eat." 4:20:01 AM Josie: She puts the jacket on, with some difficulty. The good news is, it's long enough that it actually does cover up all the necessary bits. 4:20:20 AM Josie: The bad news is, it's fairly clear she has no idea how clothing actually works. 4:20:27 AM Rycroft: What do I call you? 4:21:02 AM Rycroft: Rycroft helps her get it on. 4:22:01 AM Josie: "Whatever you want." 4:23:25 AM Rycroft: Faye. It's rather literal, but. 4:24:58 AM Josie: Faye: All right. There's not a lot of magic here, ish there? 4:25:22 AM Josie: Her esses are all over the place; sometimes she gets them and other times not, other times they're extra sibilant. 4:25:43 AM Josie: The teeth are apparently an issue, but then again, they were an issue before. 4:27:14 AM Rycroft: No, not really. Vampires have some by our nature, and there is the odd human that can wield it. 4:27:24 AM Rycroft: ... all right. You can come with me if you give your word to do what I say and behave yourself. 4:28:04 AM Josie: Faye: I'm not going to do that. Would *you* do that? 4:28:11 AM Josie: Faye: Only an idiot would do that. 4:30:45 AM Rycroft: You want to come with me, I need to know you're not going to get bored and start... I don't know, killing housepets. 4:31:50 AM Josie: Faye: ... I'll eat what you humans normally eat. 4:31:59 AM Josie: Faye: The deer taste weird here anyway. 4:36:51 AM Rycroft: All right. Well have to get you more clothes, first of all. My kind get by by existing as invisibly as possible among the humans. Drawing too much attention to myself can get me executed. 4:38:51 AM Josie: Faye: Really? Man, maybe you should come back with me, I could use a pet. 4:39:09 AM | Edited 4:39:18 AM Josie: Protip: This would be *such* a bad idea. 4:40:56 AM Rycroft: No thanks. 4:41:51 AM Josie: Faye shrugs. "Okay. Sho. Low profile, pretend to be human. Got it." 4:42:46 AM Rycroft: All right. Let's get out of here, then. 4:44:01 AM Josie: Faye: Sure. 12:16:18 AM Josie: Rycroft was standing with his "captured" fae, Faye. He just expressed the intent to get out of the forest! She's wearing nothing but his coat! It's awkward. 12:17:26 AM Rycroft: Rycroft has started walking! They need to get her some clothes. 12:18:46 AM Josie: It looks pretty high-fashion at this point. She's so small it covers everything on her--though it's worth noting she definitely looks like a short, tiny adult, not childlike. 12:20:29 AM Rycroft: Rycroft mutters. "Now I wish I hadn't flown here." 12:20:47 AM Josie: Faye: Can't you carry me back? 12:22:00 AM Rycroft: I can turn into a bird. Not a bird big enough to carry anything. We'll ahve to walk until we can flag down a cab. Or I can steal a car. 12:22:36 AM Josie: Faye: What's a car? 12:23:46 AM Rycroft: You'll see. Horseless carriages. 12:26:14 AM Josie: Faye: How far is it? 12:28:51 AM Rycroft: A ways. Though it shouldn't take me long to find a car. We just have to get out of the park. 12:29:26 AM Josie: Faye: So what *do* humans eeat? 12:30:17 AM Rycroft: Meat. Vegetables. Just cooked and prepared. 12:31:38 AM Josie: Faye: You *burn* it. 12:33:36 AM | Edited 12:33:48 AM Rycroft: Cook it. And I don't do anything, I just pretty much drink blood. 12:33:46 AM Josie: Faye: I could do that. 12:34:09 AM Josie: The good news is, the trails here are nice and well-groomed, and both of you have excellent night vision. 12:34:26 AM Josie: It only takes about 15 minutes to get to the park's parking lot. 12:34:50 AM Rycroft: ((What is there in terms of cars and stuff?)) 12:37:05 AM Josie: Well, this is where people park their cars and go camp elsewhere. 12:37:23 AM Josie: You have a selection of minivans and SUVs, a couple of trucks and several cars. 12:37:51 AM Josie: One of the cars is a BMW, and one of the SUVs is a Cadillac, but there are also less high-end vehicles out there too. 12:40:55 AM Rycroft: Rycroft peeks in a couple of them. 12:42:12 AM Josie: Toys, French fries, papers, blankets. 12:42:14 AM Josie: All kinds of junk. 12:42:58 AM Rycroft: Rycroft is looking for clothes or something! 12:43:16 AM Josie: Ahhh. Well, he does see a couple of what look like gym bags in one car. 12:45:36 AM Rycroft: Rycroft looks for one of the nicer cars, one of them more likely to have a lowjack or something. 12:46:24 AM Josie: The Cadillac is very nice! 12:47:38 AM Rycroft: Rycroft will try and get into that one. 12:48:41 AM Josie: Is he pretty experienced at breaking into cars? 12:50:19 AM Rycroft: Decently, I think. 12:51:09 AM Josie: He manages to get in pretty easily, then. 12:51:26 AM Rycroft: ((I think he's generally pretty good at B+E.)) 12:51:46 AM Rycroft: Rycroft looks around the car for anything interesting. 12:52:04 AM Josie: There's a book! 12:52:26 AM Josie: It's called Eugenics, but it actually seems to be a sex guide for married couples circa 1915 or so. 12:53:18 AM Rycroft: Rycroft frowns, then opens the door for Faye. "All right, get in." 12:53:31 AM Josie: She sniffs at it, and then hops in. 12:56:35 AM Josie: Hotwiring the thing is a little harder. 12:56:47 AM Josie: Modern cars are a little more complex and their wires are a little more hidden. 12:59:43 AM Rycroft: ((Can he manage it?)) 1:00:16 AM Josie: He wrestles with it fruitlessly for a while. 1:00:24 AM Josie: Faye: What is it supposed to do? 1:01:22 AM Rycroft: Activate. Turn on. 1:01:50 AM Josie: Faye: I don't know what that means. Gimme your hand. 1:03:24 AM Rycroft: Rycroft gives her his hand! 1:04:53 AM Josie: Faye touches the steering wheel with her other hand; Rycroft feels a stinging sensation like an electric shock and the car starts. 1:06:04 AM Rycroft: How did you do that? 1:09:09 AM Josie: Faye: Magic. 1:09:21 AM Josie: Faye: ... gonna run out if I'm not careful. There doesn't seem to be a lot here. 1:10:03 AM Rycroft: All right. Well, let's go. 1:10:31 AM Rycroft: Rycroft drives back to the city! Though he doesn't go directly to his apartment. 1:14:12 AM Josie: Faye fiddles with the door and eventually works out how to open the window. 1:14:20 AM Josie: Then she puts her head out of it like a dog. 1:15:02 AM Rycroft: ... watch out for bugs. 1:16:28 AM Josie: Faye: Crunchy! 1:16:37 AM Josie: She laughs like a crazy person. 1:17:29 AM Rycroft: Once he gets into the city, he pulls over and stops the car in some abandoned parking lot. 1:19:58 AM Josie: Easily done. Then what? 1:20:04 AM Josie: Faye looks disappointed. 1:20:12 AM Josie: Faye: I like that. 1:23:15 AM Rycroft: Rycroft nods. "Now we'll take a cab the rest of the way to my home. You still need clothes, though... hmm." 1:23:49 AM Josie: Faye: Why? It's not cold. I don't even miss my fur. 1:25:58 AM Rycroft: Because humans wear clothes. 1:26:56 AM Josie: Faye: Humansh are dumb. 1:27:25 AM Rycroft: You need to wear clothes because you'll attract to much attention otherwise. 1:29:37 AM Josie: Faye sighs. "Fine, I'll wear your shtupid closhe. Clothes." 1:31:45 AM Rycroft: Rycroft looks around, looking for... well, anything of interest! Stores, passerbyes, convenient taxicabs. 1:33:25 AM Josie: There are some taxis. 1:33:30 AM Josie: Some are even empty! 1:33:43 AM Josie: Stores, you might have to find something like a walmart, which would be in a more suburban part of town. 1:33:54 AM Josie: Everything else is closed at this time of night. 1:34:21 AM Rycroft: Rycroft will flag down a cab, then. 1:35:51 AM Josie: Easily done. 1:36:18 AM Josie: The cabbie is taciturn, and this time Faye doesn't try to roll down the window. Just as well, cab windows don't open. 1:40:23 AM Josie: Where's he heading? 1:40:37 AM Rycroft: Rycroft tells the caby to head back to the apartment! 1:41:31 AM Josie: It's just a quick cab right over. 1:41:47 AM Josie: Faye actually behaves herself, although you catch her sniffing at you more than once. It's a little creepy. 1:50:03 AM Rycroft: Rycroft pays the cabbie once we reach the building. 1:50:16 AM Josie: She licks you. 1:50:29 AM Rycroft: .... please stop tasting me. 1:50:50 AM Rycroft: ((Faye and not the cabbie,r ight? )) 1:50:52 AM Josie: Faye: You're no fun. 1:50:53 AM Josie: Yes. 1:51:29 AM Rycroft: In that I don't want to be eaten? Damn straight. 1:51:55 AM Josie: Faye: I could make it fun. 1:52:30 AM Josie: You head up to your room. There are some odd shadows in the entryway in the foyer, before you get in the elevator. 1:53:53 AM Rycroft: Rycroft stops and looks around. 1:58:23 AM Josie: Nothing out of the ordinary. 1:58:31 AM Josie: The shadow moves, even though there's no one there. Or is there. 2:00:53 AM Rycroft: Rycroft looks at Faye. "You smell anything?" 2:01:10 AM Josie: Faye sniffs. "Yeah, you." 2:02:13 AM Rycroft: Besides me. 2:02:22 AM Josie: ((Take that one, take that onnnnne. Come onnnnn.)) 2:03:05 AM Josie: Faye: ... another one of you dead ones. Maybe. I can't tell, you smell fresher. 2:05:20 AM Rycroft: Rycroft looks around. "Who's there?" 2:06:33 AM Josie: There's no answer. 2:08:44 AM Rycroft: Rycroft looks around one last time, then shrugs. 2:09:13 AM Josie: The shadow waves at him. 2:11:01 AM Rycroft: Lovely. If you're going to spy, be harder to see. 2:12:14 AM Rycroft: Rycroft heads into the elevator. 2:12:24 AM Josie: The shadow makes a shrugging motion. 2:12:29 AM Josie: Faye: Want me to rip its head off? 2:12:46 AM Rycroft: No, it's fine. 2:13:07 AM Rycroft: C'mon, let's head up to my place. 2:14:16 AM Josie: The shadow waggles its eyebrows. 2:14:32 AM Rycroft: Not you, you can can stay here. 2:17:01 AM Rycroft: Rycroft waits for Faye to get in, and then hits the close door button the elevator. 2:17:34 AM Josie: He heads back up to his apartment. 2:17:41 AM Josie: Faye looks bored. 2:18:16 AM | Edited 2:18:23 AM Rycroft: Rycroft heads inside! "You guys around?" 2:19:35 AM Josie: Tess is working on her second mitten. "Sure. ... hey, you brought a friend home." 2:19:38 AM Josie: Tess waves. 2:19:44 AM Josie: Faye: He won't let me eat him. 2:21:05 AM Rycroft: This is Faye. She's... a fae. 2:21:47 AM Josie: Tess: ... oh, shit, seriously? You brought one of those here? 2:22:04 AM Josie: Tess: We'll be lucky if any of us have any underwear tomorrow. Speaking of, why isn't she wearing anything? 2:22:51 AM Rycroft: Because she shapeshifts and wasn't really a people when I found her. She was eating deer in Battle Creek Park. 2:24:50 AM Josie: Tess: Oh. Well, the kid's clothes arrived while you were gone. ... it took 'em five trips to get them all up here. Her closet's full. And all the drawers. And um, your closet has some of my clothes in there. 2:25:59 AM Rycroft: That's fine. Your boss doesn't do things by half measures. Speaking of which, her shadowy employee is lurking in the foyer. 2:26:55 AM Rycroft: Still, there should be something for Faye to wear in the clothes that got sent over for Liz. 2:28:14 AM Josie: Tess nods. 2:28:25 AM Josie: Faye sniffs at her; Tess eyes her. "Down girl, down." 2:28:29 AM Josie: Faye growls! 2:29:38 AM Rycroft: No bloodshed here. Unless I cause it. Got it? 2:31:37 AM Josie: Faye: Oh, *fine.* ... just a little nibble? 2:31:44 AM Josie: Tess: ... should I be jealous? 2:32:32 AM Rycroft: She wants to eat me, and not in the nice way, so probably not. Where's Liz? 2:33:26 AM Josie: Tess: Napping. She filled up one of her notebooks. 2:33:51 AM Josie: Rye notices the cityscape is also completely painted in--she managed to match the colors of the living room decor, whatever they were. 2:35:45 AM Rycroft: All right. Well, Faye here has promised to behave until I find a way to get her home. I'll have a few phone calls to make. 2:36:33 AM Josie: Tess hands Ry the notebook. "Check it, she's pretty good." 2:36:55 AM Josie: Faye: You *all* smell good. I'm hungry. 2:37:12 AM Josie: Tess: ... maybe we should order her a pizza. I don't like the way she's looking at you. 2:37:24 AM Rycroft: Rycroft nods. "Good idea." 2:37:30 AM Josie: Tess: I used to look that way at roast beef. 2:37:41 AM Josie: Tess: Sure, I'll take care of it. 2:37:50 AM Josie: Faye stalks around the apartment, sniffing things. 2:38:06 AM Rycroft: Get some wings, too. 2:39:14 AM Josie: Tess: Sure. Spicy or regular? 2:39:33 AM Rycroft: Spicy. 2:39:47 AM Josie: Tess nods. 2:45:48 AM Rycroft: Rycroft keeps an eye on Faye. 2:46:47 AM Josie: Faye flings herself onto the couch next to Tess and curls up in a ball, snoring. 2:47:06 AM Josie: Tess calls for pizza, eyeing the fae. 2:52:29 AM Rycroft: Rycroft looks in on Liz! 2:52:58 AM Josie: She's fallen asleep on top of all her covers with a half-finished charcoal sketch ... of Rycroft, actually. 2:53:46 AM Josie: She's got doodles of Tess all along the side, wearing all kinds of things--a bikini, a set of plate armor, an evening gown, a tuxedo. 2:55:21 AM Rycroft: Rycroft raises an eyebrow. 2:57:50 AM Josie: It's pretty cartoony. 2:58:08 AM Josie: The Tesses are, anyway. Rye's portrait is more of a realistic style; it's pretty accurate. 2:58:23 AM Rycroft: Rycroft shrugs, and heads back into the living room. 2:58:30 AM Josie: Liz's other sketchbook is still in Ry's hands. 2:58:40 AM Rycroft: Rycroft looks through it. 2:59:54 AM Josie: She's very good. There are actually a lot of portraits in there, some sketchier than others, in a variety of mediums and styles. 3:00:45 AM Josie: She's drawn Tess the most, because she was present, but there are several of Ry and even two of Rose (looking terrifying and angular). 3:02:55 AM Josie: There's a few of the skyline, other city features. 3:03:06 AM Josie: And there's one rather frightening sketch of a person on fire. 3:03:30 AM Rycroft: Rycroft raises an eyebrow. Anyone he knows? 3:04:50 AM Josie: No, it's indistinguishable who it is in all the fire. 3:04:55 AM Josie: But it's disturbingly realistic. 3:06:28 AM Rycroft: Rycroft closes it and sets it down ont he bed, then leaves her alone. 3:07:09 AM Josie: Tess: So, uh... family pet, huh? We're gonna need more space. 3:10:51 AM Josie: Tess: I'd've expected you to be more of a cat person. 3:13:12 AM Rycroft: Yeah. You realize of course that you're the mom. 3:13:44 AM Rycroft: And you're just saying that because of the eye. 3:13:55 AM Rycroft: Rycroft goes over to the fridge and pours himself a frosty mug of blood. 3:14:27 AM Josie: Tess: I'll have one too. If you don't mind. 3:14:42 AM Josie: Tess: I thought you were the mom. 3:15:24 AM Rycroft: Rycroft pours her some. 3:15:38 AM Rycroft: Well, these days that's pretty fluid, I suppose. 3:16:13 AM Josie: Tess: I feel more like the dad. 3:16:55 AM Josie: Tess: I'll teach her how to play catch and you can teach her how to... uh... bind a wound? 3:17:03 AM Josie: Tess: Mind control people? 3:18:23 AM Rycroft: I suppose. Right now we just need to work on teaching her how to survive. 3:18:59 AM Josie: Tess: So you teach her how to turn into a bird and I'll teach her how to throw a punch. 3:19:22 AM Josie: Tess: Can you do the googly-hypno-eyes thing? 3:23:11 AM Rycroft: Rycroft nods. "Yeah. It's pretty useful in my line of work. And fun at parties." 3:23:36 AM Josie: Tess: Good. My idea of charming people is asking them *before* I head-butt them. 3:23:38 AM Josie: She grins. 3:24:39 AM Rycroft: Very polite. 3:24:44 AM Rycroft: Rycroft hands her his mug. 3:25:01 AM Josie: Tess: Thanks! 3:25:05 AM Josie: She sips at it appreciatively. 3:28:00 AM Rycroft: I hope I never need to be head-butted. 3:29:44 AM Josie: Tess: Not lookin' likely. 3:29:54 AM Josie: Tess: If you weren't dating my boss I'd ask you out. 3:30:00 AM Josie: Tess: ... but she's scary. 3:31:52 AM Rycroft: Hmmm. She can be, yes. But I'd probably say yes. 3:33:29 AM Josie: Tess: ... wait, are you saying yes, or are you saying you *would* say yes if you didn't have a girlfriend and she was scary? 3:38:58 AM Rycroft: If you asked me out, I'd say yes. And I'm not she's my girlfriend at the moment. We had a date. It was nice, but we've been down this road before, and we agreed to otherwise take things slow. I haven't signed any exclusivity contracts just yet. 3:39:59 AM Josie: Tess: ... wow, you're not kidding about the contract thing, are you. 3:41:33 AM Rycroft: Only partly. I'm very fond of Rose, but she is a self-admitted type-A nutjob. 3:42:30 AM Josie: Tess: Why'd you guys break up, anyway? 3:44:09 AM Rycroft: ((Was she Prince the last time they dated?)) 3:44:53 AM Josie: ((Nope.)) 3:44:58 AM Josie: ((She was ambitious, though.)) 3:47:23 AM Josie: ((And involved in politics.)) 3:47:35 AM Josie: ((She was a musician.)) 3:49:50 AM Rycroft: She wasn't Prince yet, but she had her eyes on it. She was ambitious. We just kind of drifted apart. She wanted to focus on her ambitions. 3:50:53 AM Josie: Tess: ... and you're sure she wouldn't, say, eviscerate us in our sleep? 3:51:27 AM Rycroft: ((... would she?)) 3:53:06 AM Josie: ((Nope. She's pretty damn confident in herself.)) 3:54:13 AM Rycroft: She's really not the jealous or possessive type. 3:55:01 AM Josie: Tess: ... huh. Well, okay. Wanna cuddle? 3:55:42 AM Rycroft: It does seem like the couch is taken up tonight, doesn't it. 3:55:53 AM Josie: Tess: Little bit, yeah. 4:01:38 AM Rycroft: Well, then yes. Though there's still a pizza coming, I believe. 4:03:57 AM Josie: Tess: Yeah. We'll wake 'er up when it comes. 4:06:52 AM Josie: She moves over a bit on the couch; there's just enough room for him to sit if he wants. 4:07:45 AM Rycroft: Rycroft sits down. 4:09:52 AM Josie: She puts an arm around him. 4:11:44 AM Rycroft: Rycroft reciprocates! "You realize of course I'm only doing this because of that sketch Lizard did of you in a bikini." 4:12:34 AM Josie: Tess snrks. 4:13:27 AM Josie: Tess: I have never ever worn a bikini. 4:15:59 AM Rycroft: Not even for sunbathing? Oh right, we're vampires. 4:16:34 AM Josie: Tess: I have kind of a hard time getting naked. 4:18:34 AM Rycroft: Why's that? 4:18:55 AM Josie: Tess: Well, when I grew up the fashion was to wear about seventy-four layers. 4:19:22 AM Josie: Tess: Seriously, just the underwear was like... 4:22:09 AM Josie: Tess: ... well, people wear fewer layers now to be totally dressed. 4:22:45 AM Rycroft: Where did you grow up? 4:23:51 AM Josie: Tess: Georgia. 4:25:15 AM Rycroft: Southern gal. 4:25:59 AM Josie: Tess: Southern Belle. 4:26:24 AM Josie: Tess: That whole Scarlett O'Hara deal. 4:28:50 AM Rycroft: I've never seen Gone With The Wind. Or read it, for that matter. 4:29:12 AM Rycroft: Have you ever had 'the vapahs?' 4:29:50 AM Josie: Tess: Nobody does, they just fake 'em. 4:30:02 AM Josie: Tess: That said, I *have* fainted a couple times. 4:32:34 AM Rycroft: Before or after your death? 4:32:52 AM Josie: Tess: Oh, before, definitely. 4:33:36 AM Josie: Tess: Second time I'd lost a lot of blood. First time I just tried to breathe after my maid laced me up too tight. 4:36:20 AM Rycroft: Were you rich? 4:36:28 AM Josie: Tess: Yep. 4:36:33 AM Josie: Tess: Lots of slaves, too. 4:37:34 AM Josie: Tess: Pretty awkward. 4:37:48 AM Josie: Tess: At the time, I didn't think about it too much. 4:40:09 AM Rycroft: I imagine not. 4:41:03 AM Josie: Tess: Well, I came around. 4:41:12 AM Josie: The buzzer rings! It's the pizza guy. 4:41:46 AM Rycroft: Well, there's the pizza. I'll buzz him up. 4:43:54 AM Josie: Tess: As long as you're sure it's not a deadly assassin. 4:44:52 AM Rycroft: I hope not. 4:45:07 AM Rycroft: Rycroft buzzes pizza guy up! 4:46:03 AM Josie: The pizza guy turns up, and turns over the pizza. Faye wakes up and starts devouring it. 4:46:18 AM Josie: Her table manners aren't so much bad as nonexistent. 4:47:56 AM Rycroft: ... that white plastic ring thing isn't food, you know. 4:48:36 AM Josie: Faye looks up, half-eaten ring hanging out of her mouth. 4:49:34 AM Josie: Tess: ... go ahead, it's fine. 4:49:48 AM Josie: Faye grunts and devours the ring. 4:51:28 AM Josie: ... when she's done with the pizza, she eats the box. 4:52:33 AM Rycroft: Huh. 4:54:28 AM Josie: She grins, and curls back up on the couch to fall asleep. 4:55:31 AM Rycroft: That's... something. 4:56:43 AM Josie: Tess: Yeah, you know, food kinda grosses me out normally, and that... was a little bit disturbing. 4:58:07 AM Rycroft: I guess fae are part goat. 4:58:51 AM Josie: Tess: I guess! 5:00:12 AM | Edited 5:00:27 AM Rycroft: Tomorrow I'll have to call around and see if I can't get her back where she comes from. 5:01:45 AM Josie: Tess: Sounds good. 5:01:57 AM Josie: Tess: Well. I think it's just about dawn. 5:02:18 AM Josie: Tess: Want a bed buddy? Looks like my couch is taken. 5:03:35 AM Rycroft: I practically insist. Your clothes are already in my closet, afterall. 5:05:17 AM Josie: Tess snrks. "There reeeeally wasn't anywhere else to put 'em. Maybe we should rent a house or something." 5:09:54 AM Rycroft: At this rate I should just kick everyone else out of the building. 5:10:28 AM Josie: Tess: ... could do that. My apartment's smaller than yours, though. 5:11:44 AM Rycroft: Oh, I mean, this apartment building. I actually own it. I mean, not *me* me, but it's mine. 5:13:04 AM Josie: Tess: Oh, I see. 5:14:23 AM Rycroft: Tomorrow I'll check to see if any of the adjacent apartments are empty right now. 5:15:25 AM Josie: Tess stands up and stretches. "Let me change into something a little more... comfortable." 5:17:20 AM Rycroft: Rycroft nods. "I assume this means you'll be putting on about 56 more layers." 5:18:30 AM Josie: She grins, and heads into his room. 5:18:59 AM Josie: She returns wearing presumably only two layers! Probably. Assuming she has underwear under the all-encompassing flannel PJs. 5:19:45 AM Rycroft: Rycroft chuckles and looks in on Liz once more before joining her in the bedroom. 5:20:06 AM Josie: She's still sleepin' like a good little vampi-daughter. 5:21:30 AM Rycroft: Rycroft just hopes Faye doesn't eat them in their sleep! 5:21:41 AM Josie: Tess hops into bed. 5:21:52 AM Josie: Tess: This side okay? 5:22:08 AM Rycroft: That side is fine. 5:23:05 AM Josie: She pats the bed beside her. 5:24:59 AM Rycroft: Rycroft undresses and settles down beside her, sticking to a pair of pajama bottoms and not much else. 5:25:13 AM Josie: Tess: Oooh, muscles. 5:26:39 AM Rycroft: It's the all-blood diet. 5:28:44 AM Josie: She snuggles up to him. 5:29:30 AM Rycroft: Rycroft puts his arms around her. 5:30:14 AM Josie: Tess: G'night, Ry. 5:32:29 AM Rycroft: Good night, Tess. 5:33:44 AM Josie: She kisses him a little bit. 5:34:50 AM Rycroft: Rycroft returns the kiss! 5:36:11 AM Josie: Tess: Mmm. This was a good idea. 5:37:16 AM Rycroft: It was an excellent idea. 5:39:24 AM Josie: She smiles, and cuddles up to him to sleep. AM Josie: Called to the Forest, I think.